[Differential diagnosis of an ear canal polyp].

Aural polyps or granulation tissue, though usually due to infection, may represent a neoplasm, the most frequent malignant tumour in childhood being rhabdomyosarcoma. We report a 9-year-old boy from whom an aural polyp was removed 4 years ago, with the histological diagnosis of a botryoid (alveolar type) rhabdomyosarcoma. Surgery and chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin and actinomycin D were followed by a local recurrence 2 years later.

[Anesthesia and laser surgery of the laryngo-nasal-ear region].

The applications of lasers in surgery is nowadays a widely used and well appreciated technique. Besides convincing advantages (precision in surgical manipulations, excellent hemostasis, minimal postoperative swelling, rapid healing) laser-unique hazards require particular safety considerations to avoid accidental injuries to patients and medical personnel. For damage of the eyes is the greatest risk in laser surgery goggles designed to the respective wavelength of the specific laser must be worn by everyone in the operation theatre.

[Clinical experiences with in vitro testing of chemotherapeutic agents].

The response of tumour cells from 25 tumours (mainly squamous cell carcinomas) to Cisplatinum, Bleomycin and Methotrexate in the stem-cell cloning assay described by Hamburger and Salmon was compared to the response to combination therapy with Bleomycin, Methotrexate and Cisplatinum. In 90%, the result of the stem-cell assay yielded a correct prediction of the chemosensitivity or resistance of the tumour within 9 weeks. This test predicts with high probability the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents long before the clinical result becomes manifest.

[Electric stimulation of the human olfactory nerve--an approach to short-term memory?].

Electrical stimulation of the human olfactory mucosa was performed by means of an electrode, which was attached to a rhinoscope. Stimulations of the nasal mucosa did not evoke the sensation of smell, but suppressed smell sensations of presented odorants. When electrical stimulation followed the exposure to an odorant within a certain interval, the stimulus recalled the faded sensation of the preceding odorant.

[Porous synthetic materials in external ear reconstruction].

An investigation was done on the suitability of four porous synthetic materials--Dacron, porous polyethylene, Proplast II and Teflon--for use as a framework in external ear reconstruction. For this purpose, folded implants up to 1,8 mm thick were implanted under the abdominal skin of rats to create a standing skin fold. The fibrin glue proved useful.